Most interview prep focuses on what you’ll say (stories, skills, resume). But your first 2–3 minutes are often decided by how you show up: energy, clarity, and confidence. A simple 10-minute warm‑up right before a virtual or phone interview can dramatically reduce rambling, filler words, and “cold start” nerves.
Write (or rehearse) two sentences you want them to remember:
Example structure:
Do one quick read-aloud (any paragraph) and focus on:
If it’s virtual, test your mic and listen for echo. If it’s phone, stand up—your voice typically sounds more confident.
Pick one key story (impact, conflict, or leadership) and do a compressed STAR:
Goal: You’re not memorizing; you’re rehearsing clean structure. If you can tell one story crisply, the rest usually improves.
Prepare:
Examples:
If you test this warm-up, track one metric: Did you feel settled by minute 2? If not, adjust the warm‑up (more pacing practice, fewer notes, or one extra story rep).
What’s your biggest “cold start” challenge in interviews—and what warm-up habit has helped you most?
This is a strong framework—especially the idea that the interview is often “won” in the first few minutes by presence, not content. A couple add-ons t...
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